Machine for beveling the edges of leather or similar material



Dec. 11, 1928. 1,694,379

G. J. GORSUCH MACHINE FOR BEVELING THE EDGES OF LEATHER OR SIMILAR MATERIAL Filed Dec. 1. 1922 4 s t -sh 1 INVENTOR flea/ye J'onsac.

4&5 ATTORNEYS.

- Dec. 11, 1928.

1,694,379 a. J. GORSUCH MACHINE FOR BEVELING THE EDGES OF LEATHER 0R SIMILAR MATERIAL Filed Dec. 1. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. GEO/:96 J6'0r6cw/v.

fi'sATTORNEYS.

Dec. 11, 1928. 1,694,379

' s. .1. sensual-l MACHINE FOR BEVELING THE EDGES OF LEATHER 0R SIMILAR MATERIAL Filed Dec. 1, 1922 4 Sheets-Sham. 3

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Ge ,1. GORSUCH CHINE FOR BEVELING THE EDGES OF LEATHER QR SIMILAR MATERIAL Filed Dec. 1. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I I I 70 Sum un!mum !!uumumuum! Y 2L 2 I I OO I 80 I i8 11* il IH q 1 I11: Ill U 44 I 7*; J14 J,

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Patented Dec, 11, 1.928.

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GEORGE J. GORSUCH, OF BGCI-IESTEE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HIGKOK lv'ifirlllIFAG- TURZIIG COMPANY, OF EQCHESIER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION GF NEW YCRK.

MACHINE non savanna TI-IE7 Enens or LEATHER on SIMILAR iuarnnrsn Application filed December 1, 1922. Serial No. 604,171.

The present invention relates to machines for beveling the edges of leather or similar material, as for instance, he edges of a leather belt, and an object of the invention is to provide a construction which will effec tively remove a thin shaving from one or more edges of an article, such as a leather belt. Another object of the invention is to provide a bcveling machine which will subject the material to be beveled to compression adjacent the portion being beveled so that a thin shaving may be removed and a properly beveled edge secured. Still an other object of the invention is to provide abeveling machine which will bevel the two corners of each of-two edges of a strip of leather or the like. A. further object of the invention is to provide pressure producing means which will yield to accommodate belts of diiicrcnt thicknesses. Another and still further object of the invention is to provide an independent pressure producing means on opposite sides of the belt, so that provision may he made for belts having different thicknesses along opposite edges. Still another and further object of this invention is to provide a. beveled cutter which will accommodate itself for different thicknesses of material.

To these and other ends the invention consists of certain parts and combinations of parts all of which will be hereinafter dead, tl'ienovel teatures being pointed out in the appended claims.

in the drawings:

Fig. 1 a tront elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of said machine with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a section on the line l4l, Fig. 3;

F g. 5 a sect-ion through one ot'the lower heveling cutters; Y

Fig. is a section on the l ne 6-6, Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 77, Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a detail view of one of the upper heveling cutters,

Fig. 9 is a detail section on the line 99, Fig. 8;

Fig. 9.

In this embodiment of the invent-ion the material acted on is in the form of long narrow strip of leather a and utilized for a section on the line 1010,

the purpose of making personal Wear belts for men, and these belts are, when made oi one piece of leather, usually beveled on opposite sides along opposite edges. The machine forming the subject matter of this invention, in this instance, bevels the opposite edges on opposite sides of the belt, while, the belt is moving through the machine; It is apparent, however, that some features of this invention are not limited to the simultaneous beveling of tour edges of a strip.

Toguide the strips through the machine, guiding means is employed preferably in the form of two aligned guide plates 1 and 2, spaced apart between their adjacent'ends and each of which is provided on its upper face with a grooveor channel substantially conforming to the width of the belt,so as to facilitate the introduction of a belt-into the machine. The forward end of the channel in the guide piece 1 is flared at 3. The guide pieces 'm'ay be supported in any suitable manner, but, in this instance, each i's,.by a bolt 4: secured to a frame piece 5 which in turn is bolted at 6 to a base or standard 7. For the purpose of feeding the belt through the machine feeding mechanism is employed, which, in this instance, operates in the space between the two guides '1 and 2 and in line with the channels with said guide. This feeding mechanism, in this instance, embodies a roller 8 mounted on-a shaft 9 within a chamber 10 formed in the frame piece 5, this roller being mill'ed and projecting upwardly so that the uppermost portion will lie substantially in the plane of the bottom Walls of the channels in the guide pieces 1 and 2. The guide piece 1 has a notch or recess 11 through which the upper portion of the roller operates, so that the guide piece extends on opposite sides of the roller at a point vertically above the axis of the shaft 9, in order that the belt while passing over said roller 8 will have its edges supported bysaid guide 1. Cooperating with the feed roller 8 are two'idler' rollers 12 and 13 both having. the same diameter and mounted to cooperate with the belt a at a point directly above the axis of the shaft 9, the combined width of the two rollers 12 and 13 being greatcrthan the width of the roller 8, so that said rollers also cooperate with the bottom of the channel in the guide piece 7 on opposite sides oi? the roller 8. The rollers 12 and 13 are yielding-- ly supported,

- opposite edges of the strap and, to this end, each is mounted on a stub shaft 14 which is secured in a bearing block 15, this bearing block being guided vertically on guides 17 formed on a frame 18 which'is bolted at 19 to the frame 5. Interposedgbetween the frame 18 and the bearing block or slide is a spring 20 preferably in the form of a helix sur rounding a screw 21 which is anchored in the block. 15 and has a sliding movement through a portion of theframe 18, nuts 22 being arranged on said screw above said frame portion for the purpose of limiting the downward movement of the slide frame and the roller carried thereby, while permitting the upward movement of said slide frame and roller. I It is apparent that, by providing two idler rollers 12 and 13, each cooperating with the belt at one edge thereof, it will be possible to have said rollers adapt themselves to different thicknesses in the two edges of the belt. The movement of the feeding mechanism may he effected through a beveled gear 23 on the shaft 9,

meshing with the beveled gear 24 on a shaft 25 which at its other end is provided with a Worm 26, meshing with a worm wheel 27 on a shaft 28 of an electric motor mounted in a housing 29 secured by bolts 30 to the frame 18. V

For cooperating with the upper and lower corners of the strip at the opposite sides thereof, two pairs of beveling devices are provided. In this instance, the pair first operating cooperates with the upper corners at both edges and to this end two knife holders 31 are employed. These knife holders cooperate with the guide 1 to place the or belt under compression during the shaving'or beveling action. To this end, each guide holder has a guiding portion 32, which, in this instance, is guided on a rib 33 formed on a slide 15, the holder being held to said rib 33 by a headed screw 34 which extends through a slot 35 in the knife holder and holds the knifeholder to the guide rib, while permit ting the up and down movement of the knife holder on the slide 15 relatively to the guiding means 1. The knife holder extends downwardly from the slide 15 on opposite sides of the guiding means, which has one wall of the channel at 1 removed so that a shoulder 36 or pressure surface on the knife holder may cooperate with the upper face of the belt to exert pressure thereon. This pressure is obtained, in this instance, by a lever 37 pivoted at 38 to the slide 15 and having one end coo erating with the upper end of the knife holder, while the other end is connected to a spring 39, which exerts pressure on said lever 38 in the direction to move the knife'holder 31 downwardly and maintain the pressure surface 38 on the knife holder in yielding contact with the belt. The knife 40 in the formof a straight blade is arranged on the holder at an angle other than at a right angle to the pressure surface 36 and preferably extends through a slot 41 in a wall 42 at right angles to the shoulder 36, such wall 42 forming a guide for the adjacent edge of the belt. The knife in addition to extending through said slot 41 also lies against the surface 43 and the edge 44 formed by the intersection of the shoulder 36 with one wall of the knife holder. The portion of the knife between the edge 44 and the wall 42 forms the effective cutting portion of the knife. In order to hold the knife in this position, a clamping member may be provided, see Fig. 10, in the form of a rod 45 formed with a notch 46 in which the knife blade is received and with a screw threaded portion 47 engaged by a nut 48. The rod operates in an opening or bore 49 which, intersects the surface .43, so

that when the blade is received within the' notch 46, the drawing of the clamping device 45 in one direction by the nut 48 will bind the knife blade against the seat 43 and the edge 44. Adjacent the shoulder a pocket 50 is provided into which the shavings may pass from the knife.

It is apparent that each cutter or knife through the pressure surface 36 adapts itself to the thickness of the material by moving against the action of the spring 39 on the slide 15. The cutting action takes place in immediate proximity to the feeding rollers, which also sustain the belt at its central P01;- tion against flexing, while those portions beyond the sides of the pressure and feeding rollers 12 and 13 are supported by the surfaces 44 on the knife holders cooperating with the guiding means. ting of the upper cutters is as close as possible to themeeting points of the roller 8 with the two rollers 12 and 13. For the purpose of supporting the belt still further adjacent this point, there is a pressure foot 51, pivoted at 52, to the frame 18 and having its lower end 53 hearing against the, belt a and held there by a spring 54.

lVith the end in view of moving the rollers 12 and 13, as well as the upper cutters away from the guiding means to permit the introduction of a belt, there is provided an operating member 55 in the form of double arm yoke operated through a pull rod 56 connected to a treadle or other suitable means (not shown), this double arm yoke being pivoted at 57 to opposite sides of the frame 18 and having its free ends slotted at 58 and pivoted to the two slides 15 at 59. It is apparent that the pulling downwardly of the rod 56 shifts the slides 15 upwardly and he point of cutcarries the rollers 12 and 13 away from the 34 and stop the downward movement of the knife holders 31 on the slides.

The lower cutters, one of which is illustrated in section in Fig. 5, embodies a knife holder 60 having a guiding portion 61 ad justable on the guide 62 on the frame portion' 5 and held in its adjusted position by a set screw 63. The knife blade 64 on this holder is held in the same manner as the knife blade 40, so that the holding parts will not be again described in detail. ()n the knife holder an upwardly presented pressure surface 65 is provided adjacent to and at right anglesto an edge bearing surface 68. The position of this pressure surface 65 is substantially in a plane with the bottom of the channels in the guiding piece and this position is secured through adjustment of the knife holder 60 by means of the set screw 63. The lowerknife holders are arranged beyond the feeding means but in as close proximity thereto as possible at points in advance of the guiding piece 2.

Means is provided for cooperating with the opposite surface of the belt adjacent said cutters to maintain the belt under pressure during the cutting action. This means, in

this instance, embodies two devices, one for,

each edge of the belt. These two devices, in this instance, are in the form of pressure members 67, pivoted at 68, on a pivot pin which bridges the channel in the guide member 2, and extends forwardly from said pivot toward the feeding devices to engage the upper surface of the belt adjacent the two lower cutting knives. -These pressure devices 67 are held toward the belt with a yielding pressure, which, in this instance, is effected by a spring 69 of helical formation arranged in the pocket 70 in the bridge frame 70 which is secured by bolts 70 across the channel in the guiding member 2 above the pressure devices. Also arranged in this pocket 70 is a ball 71 which seats in the upper end of a member 72, havin engagement with two projections 73 each formed on one of the pressure devices 67. It is apparent that this arrangement adapts itself to the thickness of the opposite edges of the belt, while holding the belt with yielding pressure toward the lower cutting devices.

The operation of the invention will be understood from the foregoing description, but may be summarized as follows: A strip of leather or similar material which is to be beveled on both sides along opposite edges is introduced into the machine through the guiding mouth 3 of the guiding member 1, the rod 56 being pulled downwardly to elevate the upper pressure and feed rollers 12 and 13 and to carry also the upper cutters in an upward direction, so that the end of the strap may be passed between the upper and the lower feed rollers. When the rod 56 is released, the springs 20 act on the slides 15 and carry the latter with the upper cutters downwardly into cooperation with the strap. At the same time, the feed roller 8 tends to move the strap through the machine. As the strap moves throughthe machine, it is first operated upon by the upper beveling cutters and then by the lower beveling cutters, being beveled on both sides along opposite edges. \Vhen being acted upon by the upper beveling cutters, it is supported by the feeding rollers, together with the guide 2 and the pressure foot 51, so that it is held substantially against flexing at po'nts adjacent where it is being operated upon at its exposed edges by the upper cutte p The holders for the upper cutters have pi .sure faces, which engage the exposed edges of the belt in immediate proximity tothe point being operated upon by the knives and this takes place under pressure imposed by springs 39 upon the knife holders. -The belt then passes between the feeding rollers to the lower cutters and is held aga'nst the iressure faces'of these lower cutters b ores- .L

sure devices cooperating with opposite edges of the belt in immediate proximity to the lower cutters. These pressure devices are acted upon by a spring which hasan equaliz ing connection with the devices, so that they are capable of independent movement.

From the foregoing it will be seenthat there has been provided a machine for beveling leather or'other like material which-may operate upon both sides and opposite edges of a strip of material, such as a leather belt,"

to bevel the edges. Th s beveling takes place while the belt is under pressure in immediate proximity to said beveling devices so that a thin and smooth shaving is removed. lndcpendent pressure means acts on the two edges of the belt, "so that a belt of uneven thickness along opposite edges may be proper? y beveled.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A beveling machine con'iprising means for feeding the material, two flat pressure surfaces between which one edge of the material is passed, one of said surfaces being fixed in. a line with the line of travel of the material and the other of said surfaces being yieldalolc. relativelyv to such first named sur- 1ace,'and a beveling cutter for bevehng an edge of the material secured in fixed relation to that pressure surface which is to cooperate with the face of the material to be beveled by such cutter.

2. A beveling machine comprising means for feeding a strip of material, two pairs of flat pressuresurfaces arranged to cooperatev being yieldable with reference to said line of holder having a pressure material, each cutter having a fixed relation to those pressure surfaces which are to 00 operate with the face of the stripon which the cutters are to operate.

In a beveling machine, feeding means embodying a single roller arranged to co operate with one face of a strip of material, and a pair of rollers of equal diameters opposed to the first mentioned roller to co operate with the opposite face of the strip, the members of said pair of rollers being independently yieldable, combined with means for bcveling opposite edges of the strip.

4. A beveling machine comprising guiding means, feeding means for moving a strip along said guiding means, and two beveling cutters arranged to operate upon opposite faces of the strip along one edge as it is moved along said guiding means by the feeding means to bevel both faces of the strip.

5. A beveling machine comprising a channelled guide, feeding means'for moving a strip along said guide, and a beveling cutter yieldingly adjustable with reference to said channelled guide to operate upon an edge of a strip movable along the guide.

6. A beveling machine comprising a channelled guide, a cutter arranged to bevel the edge of that face of the strip opposed to the channelled guide and arranged in fixed relation to said channelled guide, and a pressure member cooperating with the opposite face .of the stripto hold the strip in cooperative relation with said cutter.

7. A beveling machine comprising a guide, means for feeding a strip along said guide, a cutter, a cutter holder carrying said cutter, and a yielding support for said cutter face in fixed relation to said cutter to cooperate with that face of the strip opposite that opposed to the guide. g

8. A beveling machine comprising guiding means, a roller with an axis fixed with reference to said guiding means for moving the strip along the guiding means, another roller cooperating with the first mentioned roller, a movable support for said second mentioned roller, and a cutter holder supported by said support and carrying a cutter to operate upon a strip moving along the guiding means.

9. A beveling machine comprising guiding means for the material to be beveled, a

roller for moving the material along said guiding means, another roller cooperating with the first named roller, a yielding sup port on which said second roller is mounted, means for moving said support to carry the second roller away from the first named roller, a cutter holder yieldingly mounted on said yielding support of the second named roller, and means for causing said cutter holder to move away from the guiding means, as the second mentioned roller is moved away from the first mentioned, roller.

10. A beveling machine comprising a guiding means for the strip to be beveled, a roller cooperating with one side of the strip, a pair of rollers arranged to cooperate with the opposite side of the strip in opposition to the first named roller, said last mentioned rollers being independently yieldable, two pairs of cutters arranged on opposite sides of the feeding rollers, one pair being arrangedto bevel the edges of one face of the belt and the other pair being arranged, to bevel the edges of the opposite face of the belt, one pair be ing fixed with reference to the guiding means and the pair on that side of the strip with the two yielding rollers being independently yieldable with reference to said guiding means, and independently yieldable pressure devices opposed to theother pair of cutters.

11. In a beveling machine, a cutter holder having two surfaces thereon for coperating with an edge and a face of the material to be beveled, and a cutter extending between said surfaces, power operated mechanism for face of the strip adjacent said cutters, a

pressure spring, and a connection between said pressure spring and said pressure devices permitting the independent movement of said pressure devices.

18. In a beveling machine, the combination with a feeding means embodying a single roller arranged to cooperate with one face of a strip of material, and a pair of rollers of equal diameters. opposed to the first mentioned roller to coperate with the opposite face of the strip, the members of the pair of rollers being independently yieldable, of a guiding means for cooperating with that face of a strip engaged by the single roller, said guiding means extending on opposite sides of said single roller to co.- operate with both of the members of the pair of rollers, and beveling cutters yieldable with reference to the guiding means to operate upon the face of the strip adjacent the portions held by the pair of rollers against the guiding means.

14. A strap ing means providing two surfaces at rightangles to each other for en aging and supporting an edge and one face of a strip, a

beveling mechanism compriscutter blade extending between said two surfaces to bevel an edge of a strip moved over said two surfaces, means for engaging and supporting the other face of the strip in immediate proximity to said cutter, and means providing resilient pressure between the last mentioned strip supporting and engaging means and that strip engaging and supporting means engaging the edge and the first named face of the strip.

15. A strip beveling machine comprising means providing two surfaces at right angles to each other for engaging and supporting.

an edge and a face of a strip moved over said two surfaces, a cutter extending between said two surfaces to bevel a corner of a strip moved over said two surfaces, and a resiliently mounted roller for cooperatin with that face of the strip opposite the face engaged by the first mentioned means in immediate proximity to the cutter to hold the strip with resilient pressure against the first mentioned means.

GEORGE J. GORSUCH. 

